A Christmas Apart
by Tracie1
Summary: A bit of holiday fluff set in the canon universe.


**Author's Notes: **I wrote this back in '03, during a fit of sentimental madness. Don't worry. It doesn't happen often. ;)

**Diclaimer: ** I don't own the characters. You know the drill. I don't own the carol, either. "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" was written by Edmund Hamilton Sears.

**A Christmas Apart**

Hill Valley, California

December 24, 1985

8:00 p.m.

"_O ye beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low_

Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow…"

"Aren't you sick of this song yet, Mom?" Linda whined as the carol played on the stereo.

Lorraine answered her daughter's commentary by turning up the volume. Linda just rolled her eyes.

"Linda, the more you complain, the more times you are going to hear _It Came Upon A Midnight Clear_," Marty said as he threw a handful of tinsel on the family's tree. "You know it's Mom's favorite."

"No kidding. Now half the neighborhood knows, too," Linda replied as she picked up a box of glass ornaments. "I could sing this song in my sleep." She observed her younger brother's handiwork for a moment. "By the way, Marty, tinsel isn't supposed to be thrown on the tree in clumps. You're supposed to put it on a strand at a time."

"Are you the Tinsel Police? It doesn't have to look absolutely perfect," Marty said. "Besides, it's so much easier this way." Again, Linda rolled her eyes.

"The tree looks wonderful!" Lorraine said as she stepped into the living room.

"It would look better if Marty weren't such a slob," Linda said and she stuck out her tongue. Marty threw a handful of tinsel at her.

"I think the clumps add character," Lorraine said as Marty flung another handful on a lower branch. "It doesn't have to be perfect."

"Any idea when Dad and Dave will get back from the mall?" Marty asked.

"None," Lorraine answered. "I don't know why those two insist on putting off their shopping until the absolute last minute."

"Mom, you're talking about the two biggest Christmas shopping procrastinators," Linda said. "I swear they think waiting until Christmas Eve is some kind of macho sport. I just hope they have better luck finding presents this year."

"The beef jerky was a little wrong, wasn't it?" Lorraine said, remembering Linda's present from Dave the year before. A laugh escaped her lips at the memory. Linda couldn't hide her laughter either.

Marty laughed with them, though he didn't remember the incident. He couldn't get over the change in the household this Christmas. The atmosphere was happy as opposed to the dysfunctional family tension of Christmases past. The family had always been together, but it was different. Marty knew Dave and Linda only stuck around because Lorraine made them. However, Marty couldn't understand why she would care since Lorraine usually drank herself unconscious by Christmas afternoon. Once she had enough alcohol in her system, nothing could wake her from her stupor.

The old George was nowhere to be seen during Christmas as Biff usually dumped a heavier workload on him during the holiday. Marty swore that Biff would actually invent things for his father to do, so George would stand no chance of actually enjoying his Christmas. It sickened Marty that George let Biff do this to him year after year.

All of that was gone now. In it's place was the Christmas that he always wanted and a happy family to share it with.

There was only one flaw in all of this perfection. He desperately missed Doc. No, he wouldn't trade his improved family for anything, but he wished that Doc could be here, too. It felt wrong not to have his old friend around for the holiday. He hadn't seen Doc since the train had appeared at the railroad tracks two months previous. He wondered how Doc was enjoying Christmas in the Old West with his new family. Also, he wondered if Doc was thinking about him at all. Marty could only hope that he was. Marty could feel a lump form in throat and tears burning his eyes. He willed them away before his mother and sister could notice.

_Merry Christmas, Doc,_ he mused silently. _Make it a good one._

Hill Valley, California

December 24, 1885

8:00 p.m.

"There we go," Doc said as he placed a homemade star on the top of the Christmas tree. "How does that look, dear?"

"Oh, Emmett, the tree is beautiful!" Clara exclaimed as she viewed their handiwork.

"It wouldn't be nearly as beautiful without you here," Doc replied as he leaned over to kiss his wife.

"Now, Emmett, don't start with that!" Clara said, blushing. "I need to go finish our supper. I'm sorry that it's so late tonight."

"I suspect dinner would have been earlier if I had had better luck finding this tree," Doc mused.

"Don't worry about it," Clara replied as she headed toward their kitchen.

Doc continued to gaze at the tree. The decorations were nothing spectacular, though they did brighten up the tiny schoolhouse. Clara had strung some popcorn garland and made the other decorations from whatever spare paper and fabric she could find. There were no lights or tinsel, but they were not necessary. This was his first Christmas with his new wife and their first Christmas tree was perfect.

As happy as this Christmas was, Doc couldn't help but feel that something important was lacking. He missed Marty. This would be the first Christmas since two had met that they wouldn't be able to be together somehow. Doc's throat tightened at the thought and tears began to well up in his eyes. He wondered how his old friend would be spending his Christmas in 1985.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Clara approach. "Emmett, didn't you hear me?" she said as she tapped him on the shoulder. "I said supper is on the table."

Doc started at his wife's touch. His reaction prompted her immediate concern. "What is it, Emmett?" Clara asked. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing," Doc said as he hurriedly ran a hand over his misty eyes. "I was just admiring our tree."

Clara glanced at the tree a second before returning her full attention to her husband. "Admiring our tree my foot," she said. "This is about Marty, isn't it?"

"Yes, a little," Doc admitted reluctantly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you."

"You are doing no such thing, Emmett!" Clara exclaimed. "I know how close the two of you are and I expect you to miss him, especially now."

"I do miss him. I just hope that he is having as happy a holiday as we are."

"I'm sure that he is," Clara said as she placed her hand on his arm.

"I am so sorry, Clara!" Doc said. "Here you've cooked us a wonderful dinner and I'm letting it get cold."

"You are forgiven," Clara said as they walked over to the table. The two had barely said grace when they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Who on Earth could that be tonight?" Clara asked, getting up. Doc got up and followed her to the door. Clara opened the door and they saw several carolers standing outside.

"_It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old_

From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold

_Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heav'n's all gracious king._

_The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing."_

"Oh, how nice!" Clara said. Doc had to agree as the carol had lifted his Christmas spirit.

"Merry Christmas, Marty. Whenever you are." Doc mused silently as the carolers sang.

THE END

c. 2003


End file.
